


Summer's Dream

by CloudyLightning



Series: Seasonal Meetings [1]
Category: Sword Art Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-03 01:10:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5270918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloudyLightning/pseuds/CloudyLightning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU! Summer had just arrived and Asuna's mother decided to make her live with her grandparents until school starts. Once there, she found herself involved with Kazuto, the only person who wore a yukata on a normal basis, and his summer long project. Little did she realize that Kazuto slowly slipped away...just like the summer days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Boy in the Yukata

**Author's Note:**

> Be warned. It's sad.

"Haaah...What am I going to do?" asked a chestnut haired girl. She sighed and took a seat in the lush grass on a slope. She sat underneath the shade of a tree growing on the side of the road, shielding her from the hot sun. Just four days ago, she just arrived from a bustling city to a quiet, peaceful town near a mountain.

From what she learned, not much actually happened around here. The people were nice and easy-going with practically anything they did. The adults would greet her with a smile or even give her a small treat from their goods. She figured that they were nice to her because of her grandparents. Practically everyone knew each other since it was a small town.

Asuna loved how the town was full of life. The trees were big and the grass was lush. Flowers practically bloomed everywhere she looked. Although, what surprised her the most was the lack of children. When she looked at the few shops around, she noticed that everyone was older than her.

_"Ano, excuse me, but are there any children around here?" Asuna asked one day. The young lady at the flower shop, Sakuya, blinked at her question before smiling._

_"Ah, well, we are a small town, but we do have about...nine or so," she answered as she cut the stem of a tulip. "But, right now, the younger children are at a summer activity at school. You'll see them around later in the day when they come out to play."_

_"Oh, I see." Asuna said, feeling a bit relieved. For a moment there, she thought she was going to by herself all summer._

_"I know the Kirigaya siblings should be around your age and I know that Suguha-chan is helping out." Sakuya said. She looked up and pointed out the window. "Although, you can find Kazuto-kun in the tree house down the road...if he's up for it. It's just a bit away from the house all the way down the road. It's at the base of the mountain."_

Asuna sighed once again as she laid down on her back, placing her hands on her stomach and closing her eyes. Just yesterday, she went to see if that Kazuto person was really there, but she didn't see anyone around. At the very least, she knew where the tree house was. She had to admit, the house looked pretty cool from the outside.

A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling her bangs a bit. She didn't know how long she laid there, or even if she fell asleep. But who could blame her? The day was nice and she was determined to enjoy it.

"Uhm, are you okay?" came a hesitant voice. Asuna snapped her eyes open in surprise when she heard the voice. A black haired boy stood towering above her with a slightly worried look.

"Who are you?" she asked him.

"Who me? I'm Kazuto. Kirigaya Kazuto." the black-haired teen said with a smile. He held out a hand to Asuna. "Who are you?"

"Yuuki Asuna..." she said, taking the offered hand. Kazuto's grip on her hand was a bit weak, so Asuna ended up having to pick herself up. She dusted herself off and took a good look at the boy before her. Kazuto was wearing a soft blue yukata with a pattern that resembled ripples in water. A dark blue, outlined koi fish was near the bottom near his knee. He had a black sash tied around his hip with a ceremonial tie. On his feet was the traditional geta.

Asuna blinked. This boy in front of her was Kazuto? She kind of found it hard to believe that he was. After all, he seemed to have those faces that resembled a girl's features...or maybe he was a girl.

"Ah, you must be the new girl everyone is talking about." Kazuto said.

"Everyone?" Asuna questioned. Kazuto breathed a laugh.

"Well, it is a small town. I'm surprised that I didn't meet you until now, though. Welcome to Hirarima!" he said with amusement clear in his voice. Asuna placed her hands together.

"Thank you. Although, that's a bit late since I've been here for four days already." she said.

"It's better late than never." Kazuto said with a shrug. "Where are you from?"

"Tokyo." Asuna answered.

"Tokyo? You came from that big city?" Kazuto asked with slightly wide eyes. Asuna shrugged a bit.

"Yeah, my mother thought that I should spend the summer with my grandparents here. I'll be leaving before school begins though." she said. Kazuto crossed his arms in thought.

"Grandparents...?" he trailed off. After a few seconds, he perked up. "Ah! You must be Kaori-baa-san's and Taka-jii-san's granddaughter!"

"B-baa-san?! Jii-san?! You seem to be very familiar with them." Asuna said in surprise. Kazuto placed a hand on his hip.

"Of course, I am! When everyone is busy, they take care of me." he said.

"Really? Your parents don't trust you by yourself?" Asuna couldn't help but ask. Kazuto shook his head.

"It's not like that." he said. "It's just that I don't like being all alone. My sister, Sugu, is always needed since she is the second oldest amongst all of the children here. Plus, she's good with them. Okaa-san is working in the general store and Otou-san works on the fields."

"Sounds like everyone is pretty busy, then." Asuna said as she tilted her head bit. She could understand him. After all, her own family back in Tokyo is always busy with one thing or another. At times, it made her feel a bit...lonely.

"So, what are you planning to do today?" Kazuto asked suddenly, changing the subject without a care. Asuna blinked for a moment, realizing that she was stuck.

"Uhm...I, ah...Well, I wasn't really planning to do anything today..." she said with a small frown. Suddenly, Kazuto brightened a bit and grabbed her hand, totally missing her look of surprise.

"Then come with me! I know what we can do today!" he said as he pulled her up the slope.

"E-eh?!" Asuna gasped. She couldn't do anything but stumble after Kazuto as they followed down a dirt path. "W-wait a minute!"

If Kazuto heard her, he didn't act like it as they passed the small shops that made up the town and to the living area. Asuna caught several of the townspeople stop for a moment and smile or shake their heads in amusement.

"Hey! At least tell me where we're going, Kirigaya-san!" Asuna said as she noticed Kazuto slow his pace a bit. He still didn't answer as he turned a corner. Asuna blinked when she began to recognize the area around her. They just passed a house that seemed to stray a bit from the area and to a tree house at the edge of the lush mountain forest.

She suddenly stopped just before Kazuto could take her closer than a yard toward the house. Her hand easily slipped out of his, causing the boy to turn around with a curious look.

"Eh? What's wrong?" he asked her. Asuna looked up at the house and then back at him.

"Oh, nothing's wrong!" she assured. "It's just that I came here yesterday, but no one was around."

"So, it was you!" Kazuto said as he placed his hands on his hips. "I remember seeing you pass by my house yesterday, and I wasn't sure. But, now, I know it was you!"

"Sorry for trespassing." Asuna apologized with a bow of her head.

"Eh? No, it's fine." he said, already heading up the ladder. Asuna watched him stop a few seconds before continuing up. She waited until he climbed in the house and poked his head out of the window.

"Are you coming?" he asked her. Asuna blinked.

"Ah! R-right!" Without another moment, Asuna made her way up the wooden ladder. Kazuto pulled her in once she reached the top. She dusted herself off and looked around as he dug through a wooden chest. The tree house was actually a bit bigger than she originally thought. It was big enough to fit a table with two chairs and an open space for someone to even sleep. A rolled up futon sat right beside the wooden chest Kazuto was busy looking through. She even noticed a few stuffed animals strewn on the floor. All in all, it was a well-built treehouse.

"Wow...it's really nice up here." Asuna said as she took a seat on one of the chairs. Kazuto stood up and placed an unopened box. The box was covered with the picture of Tokyo and it still had the plastic wrap covering it. Asuna looked at the box curiously before glancing up at Kazuto's smile.

"Otou-san and I build it a couple years back." he said with a bit of pride. He pushed the box toward her a bit. "I was actually hoping if you'll help me put this together. I had this for years, but everyone is working hard and I don't really know how Tokyo looks like."

He paused for a moment as he looked a bit shy. "C-can you help me?"

Asuna took a look at the box once again and actually read it that time.

**"3D PUZZLE - TOKYO MODEL"**

She smiled as she looked up at Kazuto's hopeful eyes. "Sure! Why not?"

"Thank you, Yuuki-san!" he said with excitement. Asuna laughed as waved a hand.

"Ahaha, you don't have to call me Yuuki-san. You can call me by my first name, Kirigaya-san." she said as she began to pick at the plastic wrap.

"Eh? If that's the case, then you don't have to call me Kirigaya-san, Asuna-san." he said as he helped her break the plastic. After a few seconds, Asuna managed to break the plastic and Kazuto gathered it up and placed it to the side of the ladder. He muttered something under his breath that sounded like, "Better throw that away later!"

Asuna opened up the box and took out the blueprint. She unfolded it and flattened it to the table as best as she could. "Oh my, this looks like it's going to take a while."

"Really?" Kazuto asked. He looked over the instructions. "Hmm... It really does seem like it'll take a while. Maybe a few weeks?"

"Ahaha, at least we have all summer!" Asuna said with amusement in her voice. They both shared a look and nodded, silently agreeing that they would work together. Kazuto began rummage through the box to find the piece they needed to start off with. As Asuna watched him, she couldn't help but think there was something off about him. Frowning a bit, she tried to figure out what it was.

"Hey, Asuna-san?" Kazuto asked as he pieced together a platform on the table. "What's Tokyo like?"

"Well, it's really busy and so much bigger than this place." Asuna said as she began to help him out.

"Is it better than here?" Kazuto questioned. Asuna paused to look at him. He had this slightly distant look on his face as his hand held a piece of the platform.

"...Well, I actually like the peace and quite here. It gets kind of loud during the day since there is so many people. If I had to pick, I'd rather live here than in the big city." Asuna said with a smile. "I'm guessing you never went to Tokyo."

"I wouldn't be asking if I did." Kazuto said with a shrug. The rest of the day passed as they worked together. Asuna managed to get a few things about Kazuto while working. She found out that he was fifteen, a year younger than her. He disliked green onion greatly, frowning as he said so. During the day, he would normally hang around the tree house when he could. By the sounds of it, Kazuto seemed like he barely did much...or rather, no one would let him do anything that related to work or school. Asuna couldn't help but find that a bit strange.

"I think we should call it a day, huh, Kazuto-kun?" Asuna asked as she looked up. She blinked at the sight before her. Kazuto was already dozing off on the table with a his head resting in his crossed arms.

"Kazuto-kun?" The teen didn't stir as he continued to doze on. Asuna sighed. She didn't really want to wake him up, but the sunlight was quickly fading, telling her that they should head home soon. Grimacing a bit, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him. "Hey, wake up already!"

Slowly, Kazuto's eyes wearily blinked open and sat up, stretching. "Uwaaah~! What time is it?"

"I think it's almost six or so." Asuna said as she began to clean up the area a bit. Kazuto closed his eyes for a moment before blinking himself awake. He didn't start helping Asuna until a minute later. Soon, the two found themselves at the bottom of the tree house and on their way back toward the town.

"Thanks for helping me out today, Asuna-san. I really appreciate it." Kazuto said as he stopped in front of the pathway to the house they passed by earlier. front yard of the house was filled with the colors of summer and fall from the flowers and trees that grew around it. The house itself was a traditional one-story Japanese style, just like the rest of the town. Already, Asuna could feel the comfortable feeling of home.

"Oh, it's fine. I don't mind helping you until you finish it." Asuna said with a smile on her face. Her gaze strayed a bit and she finally read the name plate by the door.

_"Kirigaya"_

"So, should we meet again tomorrow?" she asked Kazuto. The teen nodded and placed a hand on his hip.

"Sure! I'll be at the treehouse around noon. That way, you can take your time in the morning." he said.

"Onii-chan!" called a voice inside the house. "Hurry and come inside! It's going to get cold soon!"

"C-coming!" he answered back, his voice cracking a bit. Kazuto immediately perked up and hurried down the pathway to the door. "I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow, Asuna!"

"See you!" she promised as Kazuto disappeared behind the paper sliding door. She could've sworn that she caught a glimpse of a black-haired girl by the window for a moment.

"That must be his sister." she muttered to herself. Taking one last look at the house, she began to make her way back home. Luckily for her, she already mapped out the entire town in her head. A cool evening breeze swept by her, making her pause for a moment. She looked back at Kazuto's house and smiled.

"I guess this summer will be a bit interesting this year."


	2. The Boy in the Tree House

The very next day at noon, Asuna made her way down the same path. She couldn't help but feel a bit excited to see Kazuto again. It was strange, really. She met several boys before and not one intrigued her as much as he did. Kazuto was like a ball of mystery and energy. To her, it was just different. Heck, he was pretty straightforward...if it didn't directly pertain to his private life so much.

Shaking her head, Asuna climbed up the wooden ladder and looked around. Everything was just as they left it. The partially finished platform seemed a bit odd to her, but she figured that it wouldn't bother her once they finished that portion. She didn't have to wait long when she heard someone coming up the ladder.

"Ah! Asuna-san! You're here already? I hope I didn't make you wait!" Kazuto said as he pulled himself into the house. Asuna placed her hands together and gave him a light smile.

"Oh! Don't worry! I just got here." Asuna said with a smile, already reopening the box. "Saa, what's the plan today?"

"Hm? Well, I was thinking about getting a building or two done today." Kazuto said as he gave her a bright smile and began to finish up the platform. As he worked, Asuna couldn't help but notice that he was wearing a yukata again today. This time, it was light green with darker lines of dragonflies scattered everywhere. A lavender sash was tied around his waist. Again, Asuna's curiosity was bugging her.

"You're wearing a yakuza again...is there something special happening?" she asked. Kazuto just shrugged as he clicked in the final piece to the platform.

"Oh, no. There isn't anything special. I just wear them everyday." was his answer. Asuna couldn't help but look at him as another question bugged her.

"Nee, Kazuto-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"...Why do you wear a yakuza everyday?"

"Hmm...I wonder why...?" Kazuto trailed off as he looked up at the roof in thought. A few seconds passed by and Asuna was sure he wasn't going to answer.

"Kazuto-kun...? You don't have to answer it if you don't—" she began, but Kazuto cut her off with a soft smile and a shrug.

"Ah~! I actually wear it everyday because everyone believes it's for the best." he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Asuna blinked.

"Wha—what?"

"Is there something wrong about it?" he asked with a small tilt of his head.

"Ah, no! No, there isn't...I guess." Asuna answered, "It's just...that's a bit of a strange reason."

"Strange?" he said, the word rolling off his tongue as if it was unfamiliar to him. "I thought it was normal."

Asuna couldn't help but sweat drop. Well...if he thought it was normal then what could she say?

"A-ah...I see..." she stammered. Shaking her head, she began to start the very first building. Not even an hour later, Kazuto suddenly paused, as if he was contemplating on something.

"Nee, Asuna. Let's make a promise. Right here and right now." he said, placing his hands flat on the table.

"Eh? Wait a minute, what are you talking about?" Asuna said, as she took a small break from the puzzle.

"The puzzle. Can you promise me that no matter what happens that you'll help me finish this model?" Kazuto asked her. When she looked at him, she noticed that Kazuto was pretty serious. It was strange. She only met Kazuto a day ago, and already, it seemed like Kazuto trusted her this much.

"Sure, just...why do you need to finish the model?" Asuna asked. Kazuto turned away from her and looked out the window of the tree house, his eyes distant.

"Well...I made a promise to someone and I haven't been able to fulfill it for years now. He'll be coming back again this year and I have to finish the model." he said. Kazuto looked at Asuna with a smile. "I just want him to smile like this again."

Asuna stared at him for a moment. Really? That was it? That was why he asked her to help him yesterday? She couldn't help but feel a little used, but she couldn't get mad at him. After all, Kazuto did seem pretty intent on getting it done. "Alright, I'll help you finish it before your friend comes back." Asuna assured with a nod.

"Brother." Kazuto corrected suddenly.

"Eh?"

Kazuto's smile faltered a bit as he realized his mistake. "He's not a friend. He's my brother."

"Right. Let's get this model done before he comes back!" Asuna said as she picked off where she left off. Kazuto watched her for a moment before his smile brightened.

"Yes!"

._._._._._.

Just as Asuna promised, she came to the tree house everyday when she had the chance. Sometimes, Kazuto wasn't there, but she continued on for him. On a few days, Kazuto would take her to the open fields for a break and to enjoy the peace of the town. He would laugh and play a few games with her or splash water on her in the stream near the mountain.

But, there was something off. More than once, Kazuto seemed to be a bit...invisible to others. She could've sworn that someone was about to run into Kazuto, but the teen was quick to move out of the way and act like nothing happened. Several times, it seemed like the townspeople forgot to greet Kazuto when the two of them walked through the town, only greeting her and giving her offers. Although, even when Asuna offered Kazuto a few of the treats she received, he would always refuse.

_"No, seriously, Kazuto-kun, you can take the candy. I already ate one!" Asuna said as she waved the said candy to Kazuto. The teen looked a bit stressed as he shook his head and waved his hands in the air._

_"Asuna, that's yours! They gave the candy to you so you should eat it." He would always say._

Of course, Asuna found it slightly offensive that Kazuto would reject her offer, but she decided to let it go.

"Nee, Asuna-san..." Sakuya began one day. "Do you remember the day you asked me about the kids in the area?"

Asuna looked up from the sunflower in her hands with a slightly confused expression. "Of course, I do. Ano...is there something wrong?"

Sakuya offered an uneasy smile. "Well...yes, actually. I made a mistake."

"I don't think I understand." Asuna said as she placed the sunflower back in a vase.

"I made a mistake on the names." Sakuya admitted. "Usually, when he's home, you can find Kirito-kun at the tree house. He'll be coming home in a week or so."

"Kirito...?" Asuna echoed, slightly shocked. If Sakuya really did make a mistake on the names, then... "Then what about Kazuto-kun?"

"Kazuto-kun? Ah...well, he's already gone, unfortunately." the florist said with a sad smile.

After a moment, Asuna froze in surprise. "W-wait a minute....you mean..."

"Un. Kazuto-kun is—Ah—Asuna-san?!"

Asuna didn't bother to answer as she ran out of the shop suddenly. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it. So, she did the only thing she could do.

To see Kazuto.

._._._._._.

"Kazuto-kun?!" Asuna exclaimed as she hurried up the ladder. Once she got to the top, she felt a piece of her falter. There was no one there. In fact, there was only the nearly completed model visible. Asuna shook her head and checked the whole area, in and out of the tree house.

But, he wasn't anywhere. Kazuto didn't even leave a note behind.

She found herself right in front of the Kirigaya house, still desperately looking for Kazuto. Asuna stood there for a moment, briefly wondering what to do. She wanted to go over there and knock on the door, but she didn't want to be rude. So, she decided to call out.

"Ka—!"

"If you're looking for Onii-san, he won't be back until next week." a voice suddenly said. Asuna turned on her heels and saw a girl with short black hair and matching eyes. She was wearing a simple outfit with her short sleeved shirt and short skit. In her hands was a small bag of goodies.

"Ah..." Asuna was speechless. Just where did she come from? "A-ano..."

"You're Yuuki Asuna, right?" the girl asked politely.

"Y-yes, I am. Are you Kazuto-kun's little sister?" Asuna questioned. The girl stiffened for a moment before frowning.

"...Yes. I'm Kirigaya Suguha." she answered. "If you don't mind me asking, where is he? He left suddenly that I—Ah..." Asuna couldn't finish when tears started to form at the edge of Suguha's eyes. "Stop it!" Suguha snapped as she ran passed Asuna and to the front door. "Just stop it!"

"Kirigaya-san!"

Suguha suddenly paused for a moment before turning to see Asuna. She took a deep breath as tears started to stream down her cheeks. She bowed her head low to Asuna and said, "I'm so sorry."

Asuna didn't get the chance to say anything as Suguha disappeared into her house, slamming the door shut. Confused and shocked, Asuna turned away from the door and decided to head home. Maybe she was just overthinking things. Kazuto was just gone for a few days and he will be coming back soon.

Or so she thought.

._._._._._.

The next day, Kazuto really didn't show up. Again, Asuna told herself that he was just gone for a short while. Yet, at the back of her mind, there was a nagging feeling that she was wrong. To distract herself, Asuna worked on the model, slowly piecing each and every building.

And she continued to do this as the days began to pass again.

She never talked to Suguha once, even when she wanted too. Suguha deliberately ignored her, but Asuna could sometimes feel her staring when they passed each other in town. The townspeople noticed a slight change in Asuna but they continued to give her a few tiny treats to cheer her up. Even her grandparents were a bit worried when Asuna smiled less.

On the seventh evening, the sun was nearly set and Asuna lit up a small candle in a lantern. The dark tree house was suddenly brightened significantly. The nearly finished model of Tokyo reflected the light of the candle, giving a magnificent sight. Asuna watched the small flame dance for a moment before silently hanging the lantern on a hook on the wall. She continued to work on the model, picking up the final pieces of the Tokyo Tower.

_"Let's save the Tokyo Tower for last." Kazuto said one day. His eyes were downcast as he held the tip of the tower on the palm of his hand. Asuna took a moment to look at him as a warm smile graced her features._

_"Sure, why not?" she said. Kazuto stiffened for a moment before lifting his face. Asuna could've sworn that there were tears in his eyes as he clutched the piece and pressed his lips together, holding something back._

_"Kazuto-kun?"_

_Kazuto shook his head and gave her a bright smile, the tears still visible. "Then, it's settled! You'll do Tokyo Tower last and finish it!"_

At the time, Asuna didn't realize that Kazuto literally meant it. It seemed like he knew that he wouldn't be finishing the model himself.

Asuna closed her eyes for a brief moment, silently hoping that Kazuto would just come back now. She didn't want to be the one to finish the model, she did make a promise. With a short nod of determination, she opened her eyes and began to finish the Tokyo Tower.

It didn't even take her five minutes as all of the pieces practically fell into place. Her hand was shaking as she held the tip of the tower. Her lips trembled as she recalled Kazuto's words once again.

_"You'll do the Tokyo Tower last and finish it!"_

A soft gasp escaped her as she accidentally dropped the piece on the wooden floor. She stared at the piece, no longer wanting to pick it up. She stood there for a moment before reaching down. Her hand stopped centimeters from the piece, frozen in place. She gritted her teeth and tried to will herself to pick it up, but it was useless. She couldn't bring herself to do it.

Drops of water made itself known as they splattered next to the piece. Asuna blinked, feeling water slipping down her face. She gritted her teeth as she shook her head, wiping her tears away. She snatched up the piece and held it close to her as everything in the past few weeks came flooding back.

Kazuto was constantly there, either smiling or laughing. He made her enjoy his company, marvel at his yukatas, admire his blissful innocence, and listen to his soft humming as they worked.

Asuna's chest twisted as she remembered the times he seemed a bit out of place, or silently grieving. Even though he was trying to hide it, Asuna didn't miss the heavy silence, or his struggle about something. Just what was Kazuto trying to hide from her?

Taking a deep breath, Asuna lifted her head to see the nearly finished tower. The very tip was still in her hand, silently begging her to finish it. With the last bits of her determination, Asuna slowly moved to place the last piece. Her hand shook terribly, but she had to do it. No, she needed to do it...even if she didn't want to.

A soft click filled her ears as she placed the last piece of the tower. She didn't let go of the completed tower until a few minutes later. Asuna took a step back to admire the model of Tokyo. The sun had completely set now, and the model glowed a soft orange yellow light from the candle. She allowed her gaze to fall on each and every building, starting from the very first one they finished, to the Tokyo Tower. A soft, sad smile took over Asuna's lips as she cried a few silent tears. Everything finally made sense to her.

"It's done, Kazuto-kun." she whispered in the quiet room. A light breeze swept through the tree house and Asuna was worried that the candle was going to blow out. She closed her eyes and bowed her head a bit. She had almost missed it, but just faintly, she heard a familiar voice full of gratitude and joy.

_"Thank you, Asuna-san. Thank you."_

Kazuto was truly gone.

._._._._._.

Asuna softly hummed to herself as she headed down the familiar path toward the tree house. She didn't know why she was heading there, but because she had been going there constantly every day, it became a habit. After finishing the Tokyo model last night, she couldn't help but feel a bit accomplished despite the sadness in her heart. She had one more month left of summer and she didn't know what to do anymore. She could probably go around and help the townspeople, or maybe volunteer to help with the children at the school.

With a soft sigh, she brushed a stray strand out of her hands and looked up at the clear blue sky. At the corner of her sight, she saw a figure with black hair, wearing a soft green yukata. She did a double take, hardly believing her eyes. It was only for a brief moment, but she knew who it was. She just knew it was Kazuto.

Hope sparked within her as she sprinted down the path and made it to the tree house. She didn't stop to look around and climbed up the wooden ladder. Once she reached the top, she froze in surprise.

A black haired boy stood before the model with his back facing her. Instead of the yukata Asuna expected, he was wearing a dark blue shirt with a thin, black jacket tied around his hip. He wore a pair of slightly worn jeans and tennis shoes. Around his wrist was a bracelet in a form of a silver band. He was standing still, almost rigidly, as if he was shocked.

"A-ano..." Asuna began as she took a few steps further into the tree house. Her voice seemed to snap the boy out of his stupor as he spun on his heel. Asuna gasped. His eyes were wide in surprise and his mouth was agape with surprise, but Asuna didn't pay attention to that. Instead, she couldn't help but take a step back. The boy's face was exactly like Kazuto's. The eyes, the nose, the mouth, the ears even the hairstyle was just like Kazuto.

"K-Kazuto-kun?!" She managed. Shock and confusion filled the boy's face as his posture slacked and his jaw dropped a bit.

"Eh? Wait a minute, what?" the boy asked her. Asuna faltered. Even his voice was like Kazuto's! If it wasn't a pitch lower.

"I-I'm sorry, I thought you were-" She didn't finish as the boy silenced her with a look of utter shock.

"You thought I was Kazuto-nii!" he said, taking several steps back. "How'd you-!"

"Watch out!" Asuna warned as the boy neared the box. But he warning came too late as he tripped over the box and fell out the window. There was a short cry of shock and a crash before Asuna looked out the window to check on the boy. "Are you okay?!"

At the bottom of the tree house, the boy was nursing his back as he sat up. "I-I'm okay..."

"Hold on, I'll be right there!" Asuna said as she turned away from the window. She hurried down the ladder and went to the boy's side, who was rubbing his arm now.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked as she held out a hand. The boy looked at her for a moment before taking her hand.

"Thanks..." he said as he dusted himself off. Once he seemed generally fine, he looked over Asuna with a calculating eye.

"What are you?" Asuna paused for a moment, not really understanding, "What?"

"I-I mean, who are you?" the boy corrected himself.

"I'm Yuuki Asuna." Asuna said, introducing herself with a slight bow of her head. The boy blinked at her for a moment.

"Wait...as in the granddaughter of the Yuuki couple here?" the boy questioned. Asuna nodded, "And you are?"

The boy looked a little uneasy as he looked at anything but her. There was a long silence as Asuna waited patiently for him. Soon, he sighed and rubbed his left arm subconsciously, almost like a habit as he looked directly into Asuna's hazel eyes.

"...I'm Kirigaya Kirito. It's...it's nice to meet you, Yuuki-san."


	3. The Grave in the Mountains

_It was a quarter past midnight as Kazuto tried to fall asleep, but something was keeping him up. He sat up and glanced over to where he knew where his desk was. A small, finished model of an old electric train sat near the edge of his desk, right under neath his lamp. Right next to it, were black, plastic rails he was nearly finished with. All he had to do was add the last railing and he would be finished!_

_The sixteen-year-old smiled at the thought of finishing the small scaled model of Osaka. He really wanted to go there, but that was just a wish. Already, he could imagine his little brother, Kirito, playing with the train and his baby sister, Suguha, making up a story to act out. He always loved it when his younger siblings would play with the things he created._

_"Nii-san...?" called a hesitant voice._

_Kazuto hummed in acknowledgement as he looked over to his open door. For a moment he wondered when he left his door open....then again, he did have a bad habit of not closing doors all the way. His little, nine-year-old brother peeked his head out the side of his bedroom door. His eyes were wide with slight fear and silent begging. "What's wrong, Kiri-chan?"_

_"I had a nightmare." the small child said. Kazuto paused for a moment as the words sank in. Immediately, he knew what dream Kirito had and knew without a doubt that Kirito wouldn't fall back asleep without a bit of coaxing. Kazuto didn't have to tell his brother to enter as the boy slipped into his room._

_"Do you want to sleep with me?" Kazuto said as he raised the covers. The small boy nodded and settled right next to him. Kazuto laid back down and wrapped a reassuring arm around his little brother. He almost drifted to sleep until Kirito's voice broke the silence._

_"Onii-san...you're here, right?" The voice was so soft, that Kazuto nearly missed it. "You're still here, right? Don't go away. Please. Don't go away..."_

_Kazuto stiffened slightly as his soft begging continued on. His heart wrenched as he hugged his brother a little closer. Before he could even answer, another voice came from his doorway._

_"Kazu-nii? I had a nightmare..." Kazuto lifted his head to see his younger sister standing at the doorway with her favorite soft pink rabbit. "Can I stay with you?"_

_Kazuto couldn't help a soft chuckle as Kirito suddenly sat up. "Sugu, you too?"_

_Suguha nodded as she trotted into the room. The three siblings shifted on the bed give enough room for everyone. Suguha was in the middle while Kazuto's arm went across her chest. His hand rested on Kirito's upper arm, while Kirito laid on his side by Suguha, both of them hugging the rabbit._

_Kazuto hummed softly to lure them to sleep. Lately, both of his younger siblings would walk into his room and end up sleeping with him. Their parents never questioned it, knowing just how close they all were._

_About a minute or two, Suguha had fallen asleep, but Kirito was still awake. Kazuto ran his finger's through his little brother's hair and whispered in the still night air, "Do you want to see Tokyo, Kiri-chan?"_

_"Yeah..." Kirito answered just as softly. Kazuto grinned._

_"I can't promise that I won't go away, but I can promise to let you see Tokyo." he said. His eyes slipped closed as Kirito's voice answered back._

_"Tokyo...? Okay. I want to see it, Nii-san. I want to see Tokyo."_

._._._._._.

Kirito's dark eyes suddenly blinked awake. He stared at his ceiling as the memory of his brother lingered in his mind. The normal sounds of birds chirping and the soft clanks and taps of his parents up and about echoed slightly in his room. Slowly, he groaned in irritation and rolled to his side when he realized what time it was.

Once quick glance at his analog clock on the wall told him everything he needed. He cursed.

It was a quarter past noon. Already, his sister was sure to be at school and his father would be most likely tending the fields. He didn't even have to think where his mother was as the door to his room opened.

"Kiri-kun?" called his mother softly. Kirito's eyes stared right at her, but he made no sound to acknowledge her, nor did he bother to get up. "Are you alright? You slept all morning again."

Kirito nodded and silently sat up. His mother took it as a cue to enter his room and take a seat at the edge of him bed. There was a moment of silence as Kirito took a moment to fully wake up. Ever since he ran into Asuna a week ago, he was reluctant to leave his house. He knew that Asuna was different. He knew it the moment he met her. She was definitely a human, but she seemed stronger. Stronger than himself.

He flinched when his mother started to brush his messy hair lovingly. "Kiri-kun, if you start to feel anything, anything at all, you have to tell me, Otou-san, or Sugu-chan, alright?"

Kirito hummed an answer as he looked at his mother. Though her smile was convincing, he could see right through her. Fear and anxiety was hidden behind her loving eyes, and Kirito knew exactly why.

"I'm just worried about you. You haven't been waking up your usual time since you came home from your trip with Eugeo-kun." his mother said. Kirito closed his eyes and gripped her stroking hand against his face.

"I'm fine, Okaa-san." he assured, "I'm perfectly fine."

His mother sighed in relief, but it wasn't enough to dispel all of her worry. "Oh, good."

She got up, not removing her hand until she took a step away. "I'll go make you something before I go back to work. Make sure you eat it, Kiri-kun."

Kirito smiled and nodded. "Yes!"

He waited until his mother was out of earshot to fall back on his bed with a groan. Now that he was up, he really did have to go out. He closed his eyes for a brief moment. An image of Asuna's surprised face appeared and he couldn't help but feel like he had to see her.

Huffing a sigh, he snapped his eyes open and sat up. If his gut was telling him to meet her, then there was no other choice. Of course he could ignore it, but then it would bother him to no end. Bitting back a irritated remark, he got out of bed and began to change.

 _"So, you'll tell her?"_ came a voice in his head. Kirito rolled his eyes when he slipped on his shirt and headed out his door.

"What else do you think I'm going to do?" he muttered under his breath.

_"Ahaha, you're too predictable."_

._._._._._.

"Where are you taking me? Asuna asked as they walked past the tree house and into the forest. Kirito didn't look back as he led her to a dirt path. He checked the time on his phone and looked up to the sky with the usual blank look he normally had.

"To see Kazuto-nii, of course."

Asuna almost came to a stop. To see Kazuto? Did he mean that Kazuto lived in the forest? Or was that where...

"Hey. You're falling behind." Kirito said emotionlessly as he looked over his shoulder. "Keep up."

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "S-sorry."

Kirito didn't bother to wait for her as he continued down a path, leaving Asuna to scamper after him. Back in Tokyo, Asuna was sure that she was physically fit for anything, but...she proved herself wrong. She quickly found herself huffing as she tried to catch up to Kirito's pace.

The path itself was steep and wasn't clear...Actually, she wasn't even sure if it was a path at all. There were patches of grass and overgrown roots at every few feet. It was as if it was barely used anymore.

She was a bit jealous by the fact that Kirito wasn't even breaking a sweat with the hilly path. He effortlessly stepped over roots and branches like he's done it a million times. In all honesty, Asuna wouldn't be surprised if he really did.

Kirito wasn't much of a talker either. It made the whole hike a bit awkward for Asuna when she didn't focus on climbing over a thick root. She ended up staring at him in admiration when he paused for her to caught up (he wasn't that heartless). Luckily for her, Kirito never caught her staring...Well, she believed so.

Suddenly Kirito stopped about an hour later as they entered a clearing. Asuna stumbled to a stop and sat on a log to catch her breath.

"Where-" *huff* "-are we?" Asuna asked through breaths. Kirito gave her one glance before pointing to the middle of the clearing. The moment she looked over, it took her breath away. A large, paulownia tree grew in the center. Its leaves were still green with life with a few turning a bit red. The branches were everywhere, making it seem like a cloud of leaves with splotches of soft pink flowers. The trunk, surprisingly, was not too thick, and not too thin. It was just right. All around the tree were hundreds of blooming white, purple, and blue anemones.

At first glance, all she saw was nature's beauty. But, when she looked again, her eyes caught a stone right in front of the tree's trunk. From where she was, she could easily read the carved kanji of a name she grew to love.

_**KIRIGAYA KAZUTO** _

Something within her just made her freeze. A cold rush of realization washed over her, and yet she anticipated it. She knew it, but she didn't want to truly admit it. She slowly got up and made her way across the clearing. Kirito followed close behind, not wanting to stand back and watch.

Asuna knelt down at the gravestone and ran a delicate hand over the carved kanji.

"...why did you bring me here?" she asked Kirito. The teen behind her stuffed his hands in his pocket and stared at the tree in front of them.

"You saw him, didn't you?" he said as Asuna finally turned away from the stone to follow his gaze. "You were building that model together, right?"

"Well, yes, but..." Asuna began, but she stopped when she couldn't find the words. Kirito grimaced as he scratched the back of his head.

"This is probably going to sound crazy, but..." he trailed off too, not knowing if he even should.

"But...?" Asuna prompted. Kirito took a moment to look at her before dropping his arm.

"Kazuto-nii made me a promise a while back, but he was't able to even start, let alone, touch the box itself." he said eventually. "I kept the model untouched in the tree house for years..."

"So, it's all true then. Kazuto-kun really did promise you." Asuna concluded. She took a look at the gravestone before asking the question nagging her for the past week. "A-ano...Kirito-san...can you tell me...how he...died?"

Kirito didn't look fazed. It was almost as if he was waiting for the question when he frowned and looked off to the side. "Kazuto-nii passed away seven years ago from cystic fibrosis. His cough wouldn't stop and he couldn't handle it very well. I thought there was nothing wrong with him until it just wouldn't stop. Sugu and I were pretty young, only nine and eight at the time."

"Y-you're... not his twin?" Asuna asked hesitantly as she looked at him. Kirito shook his head.

"No, just his little brother. We have a seven year gap. If he was still here, he would be...twenty—"

"Twenty-three," Asuna said suddenly. The sixteen-year-old blinked for a moment before nodding.

"Y-yeah... Well, twenty-three in October. It's only July." Kirito corrected. Asuna placed her hands together and closed her eyes.

"So, this whole time... I was with a ghost?" she asked.

"Huh?" Confusion crossed Kirito's face. "What?"

Asuna looked at him with a bit of determination. "When you first met me, you asked me what I was. What did you mean by that?"

Kirito blinked at her for a moment and suddenly flushed in embarrassment. "W-well...about that... I, ah...I thought you were a yokai, so I just...h-had to ask."

"You thought I was a demon?" Asuna asked incredulously. Seriously?

"What? It's usually the first thing that pops in my head when something just appeared out of nowhere! Which, I might add, is a normal occurrence for me!" Kirito said, his words came like a flood to defend himself. Asuna couldn't help but laugh at his fluster. For a moment there, she thought Kirito was Kazuto, but then she threw the thought out of her mind.

No. The person standing in front of her was not Kazuto, but Kazuto's little brother, Kirito. The brother Kazuto wanted to fulfill his promise to. Though they held the same appearance there was a huge difference. Kirito, despite his moment of embarrassment, still hadn't smiled...well, noticeably. If she looked at him closely, she would've seen the ghost of a smile on his lips.

They stayed there for another hour before the sun began to set. They talked about what Kazuto actually did during his time with Asuna. Kirito shared a few memories he had before his passing. She learned that Kazuto did not do nothing all day while he was alive.

In fact, he was very active. Well, not physically running around everywhere, but rather making things with his hands. After school, he would go home and make miniature models of places he wanted to see. Their parents would by him a set and he would recreate them on his own. Kirito had told her that Kazuto not only did them for himself, but as things his siblings could play with. He was always patient with them, never complaining when Sugu or Kirito broke something.

As Kirito lead the way back down, Asuna couldn't help but feel a little proud that she helped someone. In fact, she wouldn't mind doing it again...even if it was spirit who needed it.

._._.~Two Weeks Later~._._.

"Ano, thank you for seeing me off." Asuna said as she picked up her suitcase. The single train car was only a few seconds away, and she took the opportunity to get ready. She had already said good bye to everyone in town. Her grandparents didn't join her, deciding to see her off from their doorway. Asuna found it slightly amusing how Kirito was the one to take her to the train station.

At the current moment, he was wearing his usual blank expression. "Don't mention it."

"Uhm...I...I'm thinking of coming back again when I can." Asuna said.

"...You should." Kirito said, then added when Asuna gat him a raised eyebrow, "I-I heard that Tokyo can be busy, and this town is pretty quiet...!"

Asuna laughed at his rush to save himself yet again. From the past two weeks, she learned a lot about Kirito himself. He was normally calm and collected, but she could easily find ways to drop his guard quickly. He even had the strange tendency to tease his sister with a straight face. It was hard to believe that he could do that. IN general, he was absolutely nothing like his brother.

The train came to a stop at the station and the doors screeched open. Asuna took a brief moment to take a calming breath. She didn't really want to leave yet, but summer was coming to an end. Kirito picked up her suitcase and gestured for her to go ahead.

Asuna gave him a thankful smile and boarded the train. Kirito placed the suitcase next to her and took step back, placing a hand in his pocket.

"Asuna, thanks for helping Kazuto-nii. I couldn't do anything since I don't have the ability to help him. Because of you, he won't try to leave recklessly. You're powerful, Asuna. Stronger than me." Kirito said suddenly. Asuna did know what to do except stare at him in surprise. Just what did he mean?

"I hope to see you again soon." he said. Just as the doors to the train closed, she felt her eyes widen in surprise. For a split moment, she could've sworn she saw him smile, or at least smirk at her! She stubbled a little when the train began to move.

Asuna caught her balance and moved toward the back of the car, just as Kirito started to follow the train. She placed her hands on the window and opened her mouth to say something, but she still couldn't. She watched in surprise as he followed the train until the end of the platform, still giving that same blank expression.

When the words finally came to her, Kirito was definitely out of earshot and nearly out of sight as the train kept picking up speed. Sighing, she took her seat and looked out the window with a small smile.

"I'll definitely come back."

._._._._._.

About an hour after Asuna left, Kirito made his way back up the mountain and took a seat right in front of his older brother's grave. He placed a stubborn elbow on his knee and rested his head on his open palm. He sat there for a moment as he stared at the gravestone before opening his mouth.

"You didn't have to do that, Kazu-nii." he said out loud. Since no one was around physically, he allowed himself to smirk as a voice laughed in the breeze.

"Ahahaha, but I had too! Besides, it was the chance for me to leave this area because I had enough energy to do so. Plus, it was worth it."

"Still...you made her think she was crazy." Kirito said with amusement clear in his voice.

_"Only for a little while...!"_

"For a week."

_"..."_

"..." There was a short pause of silence as Kirito finally smiled genuinely. It felt good to talk to his brother like this. Even for one last time.

_"You've finally smiled."_

"Yeah...it's been a while." Kirito said as he finally focused right ahead of himself. Slowly, but surely, he was able to make out his brother's features under the shade of the paulownia tree. His black hair swayed gently as his had one hand resting on the tree trunk. His soft blue yukata glowed a little, making it a bit easier to see. There was a bright smile on Kazuto's face as he waved at his little brother.

_"You've grown a lot since the last time I saw you, Kiri-chan. I bet if I was still around, Okaa-san would be constantly bragging about how much you look like me."_

"I'm sure. Already, she's scared that Sugu and I might fall ill soon." Kirito said as he got up. "After all, our family isn't really known for living long in the first place."

_"Hm...that's true, but...I have a feeling both of you will be just fine."_

Kirito stared at his brother with a bit of reluctance and sadness. "I really wish I didn't have to wait a few months to see you like this...especially now. I wish you didn't have to go."

 _"In what way?"_ Kazuto asked, as he tilted his head.

"Both. I wonder what kind of adult you would be if you never left."

_"An adult? Honestly I can't imagine it. What do you think, Kiri-chan?"_

"...an irresponsible one."

_"Hey!"_


End file.
